posted
CS99, from the reports I've read, its not entirely clear how this will go. One report suggested that the new food and services will be limited to four trains to see how it goes. Other reports suggest the lounge/diner conversions are a done deal and will gradually be done systemwide. Something tells me the truth lies somewhere in the middle.
Also unanswered, how the lounge/diner conversions will affect the redesigned sightseer lounges recently put in service on the Empire Builder. These were introduced just a few months ago as a model for a systemwide conversion, pending input from passenger response.
It makes me wonder if the left hand knows what the right hand is doing. The Empire Builder upgrade was intended to be a long term program, while the more recent diner/lounge conversion proposals seem to have been hastily thrown together in response to an act of Congress.
Posts: 2649 | From: California's Monterey Peninsula | Registered: Dec 2000
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posted
Just to provide a little perspective and, perhaps, a counterpoint to this discussion: If you wanted to go from London to Athens by train, the journey would take about 4 days. After you get to Paris, and for 3 days thereafter, there is no dining car. You are completely on your own for sustenance...3 days. I think we need to think creatively here, otherwise we're letting the bureaucrats in Washington run our lives. I'll bet with a little bit of thought we could figure out how to fry eggs and bacon at our seats or some similar remedy. Think of the menu possiblities, and it's not really different from what's going on with the airlines. They've abrogated their responsibility to feed us, so now we can bring on board whatever we want. I'm bringing the martinis and the caviar, and the fellow in the next compartment has a delicious smoked quail you might want to try.
Posts: 518 | From: Maynard, MA, USA | Registered: Sep 2000
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posted
According to my state passenger rail newsletter I got today, diner cutbacks begin this month on the Crescent, CNO, 1 Florida train, and 1 western train (probably the Sunset).
It is described as a "non-changeable preset offering on a plastic tray that is warmed either in a microwave or convection oven. It promises to be better than the disastrous microwave meals."
Also in this newsletter... There are currently 49 sightseer lounge cars and 57 diners in the superliner inventory. Of the 128 superliner coaches needed daily, only 125 are available. Western LD's run at 57% capacity, while corridor service runs at 33%.
So, if we stop feeding passengers and raise prices we can effectively solve the equipment shortage problems. And Norm Mineta will thus become a visionary.
Posts: 1572 | From: St. Paul, MN | Registered: Dec 2002
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